Camelot's Princess
by BethyXstar
Summary: King Arthur Pendragon's little sister has one true love, if you don't count the other. When that one true love goes missing, she embarks on a dangerous mission to rescue him... dead or alive. It is on this adventure that she reunites with an old friend. A friend she has only met once in her life and a friend she does not intend to lose again.
1. Chapter One

**_A/N: _**_Welcome to the wonderful world of BBC's Merlin. This is set during Series 5 so beware of any spoilers of which there will be many. Please greet my OC, Isabel Pendragon politely and do not walk on the grass._

_**Disclaimers: **The picture I use for this story's cover is not mine but I do have permission to use it. It is by an amazing artist whose Deviantart username is Dashinvaine. Here is the link to their page (just take away the spaces): dashinvaine. deviantart art /Queen -Guinevere -99497153__  
Everything you see that you recognise is not mine (unfortunately). I only own my OC and her tale. I wish Arthur, Merlin, Gwaine, Elyan, Leon and Percival were mine but as much as I wish, they are not. Hmm... maybe for Christmas... I guess we'll just have to wait and see._

_But for now: on with the story! Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter One – **_Until We Meet Again_

Clouds drifted through the blue sky over the castle turrets. Two knights – one tall with fair skin and blonde hair, the other smaller with tanned skin and thick black hair – stood in the courtyard, rechecking their supplies and weapons. Beside them their squires readied their horses. The knights chatted merrily with each other, their laughter and voices amplified by the great stone walls of the castle that surrounded them.

A slender young woman approached them. Her deep blue gown trailed behind her over the dewy green grass. Her fair hair flowed down her back in tiny wisps as delicate strands blew behind her in the crisp morning breeze. Her face was masked in serene sadness.

"Lady Isabel," they greeted her with bows.

As Sir Gwaine straightened, he reached out to the lady and she returned the gesture, brushing her fingertips gently against his. She looked up into his face, her blue eyes filled with sorrow. He looked down into them with dark brown eyes, and all he could think was how lucky he was to be in the servitude of such a beautiful princess.

"How long until you leave?" she asked with a voice as soft as the finest cotton.

"The other knights are already waiting outside the gates so as soon as Arthur has spoken to us, I expect, my Lady."

"Can you not stay a little longer?" she whispered. There was a moment of silence as the two looked on at each other. Slowly, Isabel wove her fingers through his. "I don't want to part from you again, Gwaine."

"Only for a short while," he promised, "I shall be back before you realise I have gone."

"I miss you already."

He brought her fingers to his lips where he graced a delicate kiss upon her skin, "There shall not be a moment when I do not think of you, my sweet Lady."

"Nor I you."

A new voice brought them back to reality.

"Just because you have my consent to court does not mean that you have my permission to flirt in front of me," King Arthur Pendragon, Isabel's older brother, called as he moved towards them. They broke apart in a flurry. Isabel's cheeks flooded with colour as she saw her brother grinning at her.

She straightened her back with as much dignity as she could muster up. "I may flirt just as much as you flirt with Guinevere."

"You may have forgotten that we are married, Isabel, whereas you and Gwaine – as of yet – are not."

Finding no retort, Isabel responded by crossing her arms and pouting.

"Now, Percival, Gwaine, are you sure you have all of your supplies?"

"We have checked and re-checked ten times," Percival nodded.

"And you know what you are looking for?"

Both knights nodded.

"Be sure to report back as soon as possible," Arthur ordered, "If we do not hear from you in a month, we shall send people after you."

Again, the knights nodded. "We will not fail you, Sire," Percival promised.

As the knights mounted their steeds, Isabel moved forward again. She reached up and Gwaine took both of her hands to his lips.

"Please be safe, Gwaine."

He smirked, "I'm always safe."

Percival was already riding towards the gates. He turned around, calling back, "Ready, Gwaine?"

Reluctantly, Isabel drew her hands away. She watched solemnly as her knight steered his horse away. Just before he left through the gates, he turned back, shouting three words over his shoulder: "Farewell, sweet princess!"

And he was gone.

Isabel stood there, staring at where he had been with an empty feeling in her stomach until her brother threw an arm over her shoulders.

"He'll be back soon, Isabel, don't worry about him."

She smiled, leaning in to his protectiveness. "I know," she lied.

*.*.*

Six and a half weeks later, Isabel was sat in the window of her bedchamber, gazing through her breath's mist on the glass. Her skirts were draped over the sill in folds of crimson fabric. Gwaine had left six and a half weeks ago and they had not received a word. In her hands, she twisted a white handkerchief over and over and over until it had to be undone. Then she would start twisting it again.

There was a knock at the door. She sighed, "Enter."

The door opened and in walked Queen Guinevere, her fine dress suiting her as if she had been born in it. The jewellery around her neck, in her hair and on her fingers glistened, showing the world that she had become a woman of importance.

A small smile allowed itself to peek on Isabel's lips as she stood in respect for her sister-in-law. Gwen returned her smile as she looked at the sight of the young woman. The princess had been only a child when she arrived at the house to work for Morgana and here she was, grown into a sweet, beautiful and brave young lady. There she was experiencing the type of heartache that Gwen herself had experienced for so long just before her wedding.

Gwen held out her arms to her young sister who hesitated for a second before falling apart. She fell into the comfort of the Queen, finally breaking into the sobs that had held themselves inside for so long. The Queen rubbed the Princess's back soothingly as Isabel let all of her emotions pour out onto her shoulder. Gwen hushed her as she led her to the bed where they sat and Isabel cried.

"It'll be ok," Gwen said, gently, "I am sure he is fine. Perhaps he is just unable to reach us somehow. Sir Gwaine is brave and intelligent – I am positive that the worst would only mean he is lost. And Percival is with him."

"I know," Isabel sobbed, "But I just can't help imagining him dead."

"That is perfectly understandable – it shows you love him."

"I suppose."

"The meeting is about to take place. I believe they are going to decide what to do about the situation."

Isabel nodded, hurriedly wiping her eyes with the creased handkerchief. She hoped she didn't look too much like she had been crying. "We are late. They will start without us."

Gwen shook her head, "I doubt it, but we can't keep them waiting much longer. Come on."

Taking her hand, Gwen helped Isabel up and wiped the last tear off her face. "We can't have that now, can we? A Princess must stay strong for her Prince."

With a shaky smile, Isabel followed Gwen out of the room where Sefa stood waiting. She dropped into a curtsey as the royals passed and hurried after them.

Knights were still filing into the room as they reached the stairs. Arthur's voice could be heard shouting at Merlin. Immediately Gwen's face lit up. They took a moment to gather their composure before descending down the stairs where Arthur and Merlin stood in each other's faces, as usual.

Gwen coughed politely and immediately Arthur spun around. It made Isabel's heart warm to see her brother's beaming smile as his eyes landed on his wife. Gwen apologised for being late which he quickly waved off. The King and Queen linked arms as they entered the Throne Room. As Isabel followed them, she nodded respectfully to Merlin who gave a slight bow back. He and Sefa followed behind her.

The Round Table was full all but for two seats. She gave Gwaine's empty seat a slight glance before hastily looking away. She looked straight ahead with a serene mask as she stood in front of her seat with everyone else.

"You may sit," Arthur called, and everyone sat. "Noble knights of Camelot, countrymen, friends, I welcome you to this meeting of the Round Table.

"For three long years, we have been blessed with peace and prosperity. But now, it seems a shadow has been cast across our lands. Sir Gwaine set off for Ismere some six weeks ago." A sob escaped Isabel's throat but she covered it with a cough. It did not fool anyone, however. Sir Elyan patted her arm comfortingly. "With him went three score of our finest men. There has been no word from them since.

"At my request, Sir Elyan led a search party to the wastelands of the north. He found no trace of Gwaine or his men. It is as if they have vanished from the face of the Earth." Gwen took hold of Isabel's hand across the table. She glanced at the queen gratefully, clinging to her fingers for support. It was all she could do not to burst into tears at that moment.

"It is for this reason that we are going to re-follow his footsteps towards the land of Ismere. And we shall not return without our knights." Arthur turned directly to his baby sister, "We shall not return without Gwaine."

There was something mixed with the sincerity in Arthur's eyes that made a single tear trickle down Isabel's cheek. A phrase came to her mind as she looked up at her role model that he was no doubt thinking too: 'alive… or dead'.

He turned back to the Round Table. "Thank you; that is all."

The sound of chairs scraping on wooden flooring echoed through the room along with the sudden low babble of men's voices.

"Gaius, Elyan, Leon, Isabel, Guinevere: I'm calling a strategy meeting."

Sir Leon approached Isabel and bowed before speaking, "I am sure you must be missing him, my Lady. I am sorry."

She smiled sweetly, "You have no reason to be, Sir Leon; I believe he is still alive somewhere. Besides, I am not the only person who misses him; everyone does."

He inclined his head before walking towards a small table where a map had been rolled out. She sighed before following him.

Sir Elyan began straight away, "We know Gwaine and his men crossed the pass, here, at Isulfor. But beyond that there was no trace. The trail went cold."

"What of this story that the fortress of Ismere has been occupied once more?" Arthur asked.

"I heard many rumours, Sire," Elyan answered, "All of them had one name in common: Morgana."

Arthur and Isabel shared a look full of dread. If she was out there where Gwaine and Percival had gone missing, there was little to no hope left.

Arthur shifted uncomfortably, "Then there is no time to lose."

Gaius spoke, "What if the rumours are true, Sire? You may be walking into a trap."

"The Knights of Camelot do not abandon their own."

"Morgana knows that; she'll be waiting for you."

"These men have fought for me, bled for me…" Arthur persisted but was interrupted by his wife. His eyes warmed as he looked at her.

"May I make a suggestion? What if you were to take a different route? Approach Ismere from the west."

"Through Annis' lands?"

Gaius agreed, "It would certainly take Morgana by surprise."

"Would Annis grant safe passage to so many armed men?"

Leon seemed to agree too, "I believe she would, Sire."

A pause hung in the air before Arthur made his final decision, "Dispatch a rider immediately; we'll follow at dawn. Remember, if we're to succeed, no one must know of our intentions."

Everyone nodded. There was a sudden clang of metal outside the door that made everyone jump. The men made to draw their swords but Arthur held up a hand, rolling his eyes. He explained with one word, "Merlin." Everyone settled down again.

Isabel took a deep breath before speaking, "May I make a request, Arthur?" He nodded. "I want to go with you."

Every man in the room began to argue but she stood her ground, "I love him. If there's anything I can do to help bring him back," she gulped as the words 'alive or dead' passed through her mind, "Then I want to be able to do it."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Isabel; you're just a girl."

"I am not a girl, Arthur, I have grown-up; I am a woman now and I should be free to make my own choices. Surely you understand – if it was Gwen in that situation, you wouldn't blink before going to rescue her."

Arthur opened his mouth but Gwen spoke instead, "I think she should go."

"You are Camelot's Princess. What if you were to get hurt?"

"Then that is my problem."

"If she is willing to get hurt for him, Arthur, surely there is nothing more you can argue about," Gwen insisted, "She is old enough now and you know that she is strong enough to defend herself if the need arises. She loves him, Arthur."

He had his eyes closed, clearly fighting an internal battle. Finally, he made a decision, "Fine! We leave at dawn. If you are not ready by then, we leave without you."

She nodded with pride in her smile.


	2. Chapter Two

_**A/N: **__Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed and followed this story. Special thanks to Suzie0821 for your review. I hope you all like this chapter. I enjoyed writing it and it doesn't even include any of my usual romantic nonsense. If you like that, I'm sorry, but this chapter is a lot more about Isabel's character._

_**Disclaimer: **__The picture I use for this story's cover is not mine but I do have permission to use it. It is by an amazing artist whose Deviantart username is Dashinvaine. Here is the link to their page (just take away the spaces): dashinvaine. deviantart art /Queen -Guinevere -99497153_

_Everything you see that you recognise is not mine (unfortunately). I only own my OC and her tale._

_Happy reading!_

* * *

**Chapter Two – **_Renewed Hope_

Dawn was chilly. Dressed in hunting clothes with a fur-lined hooded cloak to keep her warm, Isabel was ready and waiting by her snow white stallion before any of the knights. As usual, Arthur was the last to stroll out to the courtyard, with Guinevere at his arm, where his search party were readying themselves for travel.

He approached his sister first, "Are you sure you want to do this? It's not too late to turn back, you know."

She sighed, "Arthur, I am the daughter of Uther Pendragon, conqueror and great ruler of Camelot. I want to do this as much as you do."

After a moment of studying her stubborn features, he finally gave in and nodded. Guinevere smiled softly at her little sister-in-law and placed a gentle hand on her arm, "Return home safely, Isabel. I wish you the greatest luck."

"Thank you, Gwen. You stay safe too."

She nodded before re-joining the elbow of her husband who had wandered off to talk to Sir Elyan.

Before they knew it, everyone had mounted their horses, Arthur had kissed his Queen goodbye and off they went out of the gates of Camelot. Arthur and Merlin led the way, closely followed by Isabel who was flanked, by the King's order, by Sir Elyan and Sir Leon.

They had been riding nonstop for half a day. The sun was directly above them, caressing their bodies with its roasting fingers. Everyone was relieved when they reached the shaded canopy of a forest. Four knights behind Isabel dismounted and marched in front of the King instead, handing their horses to others to lead.

"Is it likely that someone will attack us here?" Isabel asked Elyan as they passed through the cool shade.

"Better safe than sorry – we cannot risk the life of King Arthur through some sort of accident."

She nodded but still something did not seem quite right. She knew her brother well enough to know that he would not condone innocent lives to form a human barrier for him. If he was willing to fight to the death for equality of all men, surely he would not allow men lower than him to put up their lives if some kind of accident or attack were to come along. No, she had a much stronger feeling that the protectors were not for him at all; they were for her.

She knew that she was a woman, and a royal woman at that, so they had to be careful for her, but surely they recognized that she had the strength of a lion if need be. She was skilled at archery and riding and could wield a sword well enough to defend herself. But she knew that no matter how strong she was physically, the men were always going to see her as just a girl and girls needed protecting.

She could not allow herself to feel too angry however. Perhaps they were just being chivalrous. And besides, there was nothing she could do about it. She may be a Princess, but she did not have the authority to give women equality. She just hoped that someone would in the future. Nevertheless, she tried.

"Arthur!" she called, riding quicker to catch up with him and Merlin. Both men stopped their conversation and turned their heads to her as they rode. "Do you think it likely that we shall be attacked here?"

"Not particularly."

"Then why are these men marching in front of us?"

"They are the guard, Isabel, it is their assignment."

"So they are not there to protect me in any way?"

Arthur frowned, "Of course they are!"

"I don't like that, Arthur; what if something happened and they got hurt instead of me? I would not be able to live with myself."

"Nothing is going to happen, Isabel, and if it did, you are going to _have to _live with it. Everyone here is willing to get hurt instead of you. It is our duty as King and as Knights," he told her sternly, giving her the look that she had received so many times from their father whenever she dared to argue.

"Well I am not willing to let them!"

Arthur's frown had creased so much that a vein was throbbing in his forehead, "Don't you see that this is what they do? They are knights, Isabel; it is our duty to protect you. You are a Princess of Camelot and we cannot afford to risk losing you."

"But you're -"

"If you keep arguing with me, I shall send you back to the castle with Sir Leon!"

Several words that were deemed inappropriate from a Lady (or anyone for that matter) were on the edge of her tongue but, reluctantly, she forced herself to swallow them down and keep quiet, as she remained for the rest of the journey.

As they reached the the border of Annis's lands, Arthur made them split up, making sure that Isabel was with himself, Merlin and Sir Leon. She knew that was only so that they could keep an eye on her but she still could not help scoffing. They needed to protect their innocent little Princess.

Their journey was uneventful but when they reunited with Sir Elyan's group, it was clear that their journey had not been. Sir Elyan's eyes looked as though they had been through a war. Immediately, Isabel's heart began beating at twice its usual pace, knowing that there was some kind of danger nearby.

"There's something you need to see," Elyan announced as his knights galloped towards theirs. Wearily, the King's procession followed.

It was not very far away. Sir Elyan nodded solemnly, "This is it."

Silence descended upon them like a choking fog. The smell of death hit Isabel with full force making her feel sick. What they were witnessing was the scene of a massacre. A village had been torn apart.

When Arthur spoke, his voice was only just above a whisper, as if he did not want to disturb the dead, "We go through on foot."

As quietly as possible, Isabel dismounted her horse, gave him one last pat, and crept up beside Merlin.

"My God," she whispered with a shaking voice, "What monster has done this?"

He looked at her from the corner of his eye as he shook his head.

Their footsteps crunched under the gravel as they approached the ruined huts, the smell only getting stronger with each movement. Homes were destroyed. A small hand, as white as marble, protruded from one of the wrecked windows, dried blood trailing a path down the fingers. Men, women and children lay in heaps on the ground, creating a sick maze for the knights to avoid. A woman's body was hugging the corpse of a child no older than three. Both had deep, black wounds in their chests. A man's bodiless head lay staring up at them, his eyes glassy but wide with fear.

Finding herself unable to move any further, Isabel choked on a sob, but she held a hand to her mouth and refused to let herself burst into tears. Trembling, she shut her eyes tight, trying to force the reality away, but all she could see beneath her closed eyelids were the terrified faces of the mother and her child, and the sightless eyes of the bodiless man.

"Isabel?" Arthur's voice was nearby and full of concern. "Isabel?" She felt his arm around her shoulders. She finally gave in to the emotion and fell into his hold. Burying her head in her brother's shoulder, she began to cry. Her sobs echoed through the silenced village, followed by the hushing and comforting words of the King in her ear. "Shh, sister, I know it's horrible. You don't have to see this; we can go now, if you want. I'm sorry, Izzy, I shouldn't have brought you here." Her entire body was trembling with the weight of her sobs. "It'll be ok, Izzy, I won't let anything hurt you."

She pulled away and looked up at him with teary, red eyes. A furrow was set between her brows.

"I'm not scared for me, Arthur," she croaked, "I'm sorry for these people. They couldn't have deserved this. And if someone – or something – did this to so many people, I dare not think what could have happened to Gwaine." More tears slipped from her eyes as the realisation hit her. "Arthur, I think he's dead!"

As she broke into another round of crying, he held her again and rubbed her back soothingly. "He'll be ok," he hushed, "We'll find him, I promise."

The next day, they arrived at Annis's Kingdom. The Queen greeted Arthur warmly before noticing Isabel.

"Princess Isabel," she beamed, "I did not expect you to be joining us."

Sleep had not helped Isabel recover. She looked paler and older than she ever had before. Her eyes were still bloodshot. The only time she had stopped crying last night was when she was praying with everything she had for Gwaine to still be alive. She had given up hope on him being well, but as long as he was still alive, she could cope with anything. She just did not believe that would happen.

"I am trying to find Sir Gwaine, my Lady," she replied with a meek smile.

Immediately, Annis's eyes widened. She held out her arms to which the Princess gracefully returned and the two hugged each other.

Annis murmured in the young girl's ear as she comforted her, "You must be strong, Isabel. Gwaine is lucky to have you, Arthur is proud to call you his sister and I am sure your father is proud to see what a courageous young woman you have become. Now _you_ just need to realise how strong you are."

"Thank you," Isabel whispered with complete sincerity.

"Now," Annis declared to the whole group as Isabel joined them. Arthur wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders, making Isabel smile that maybe Annis's words were true. "Shall we go through?"

The dinner hall was lavishly laid out with meats, vegetables and spices of all kinds.

"Sit beside me, Isabel, and you, Arthur. We have much to discuss."

Following her wishes, Isobel and Arthur sat on either side of the Queen as the servants waited upon them, filling their plates with an assortment of delicious delicacies. Arthur began to fill her in on what they had witnessed in the village.

"What you saw is no surprise," Annis said, "Several months ago, Saxons began raiding our villages. They're rounding up all the men they can find and taking them to Ismere."

"To raise an army?"

"People say Morgana is tearing the citadel apart."

Arthur was still confused, "Why?"

"They say she's searching for something. I dare not think what."

Arthur looked at his sister, whose eyes had suddenly brightened. She was clearly thinking the same as him. "Then my men may still be alive."

Isabel's heart beat rapidly as she waited for Annis's opinion.

"Yes. There is every chance."

"Oh, thank God," Isabel breathed. Violent relief washed over her, so much that she felt as though her back could not keep up her strength. If she had been on her feet, she would have collapsed to the floor, but instead she sank to table, resting her head on her arms. He _was _still alive! She was going to be reunited with him, she knew it.

Annis patted her back, pleased to be the barer of good news to a girl whom good news seemed to avoid.

"Now I think it's time for some entertainment, don't you?" she announced, looking up at Merlin who was pouring Arthur's drink, "I would _love _to see your fool perform. Given all his failings, he must have some skills."

Isabel bit her lip to stop herself from laughing at poor Merlin. Arthur was not so kind, looking up at him in dismay. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? You heard the Queen; jump to it."

Merlin leant down to mutter arguments at Arthur, but Arthur was not having it and insisted that he perform. The Princess watched and applauded in amusement as the King's servant crossed to the middle of the dinner hall. What on earth was he going to do? She knew he was a lovely person, but as far as she knew, he possessed none of the skills that true fools did.

He bowed low before straightening. He was surprisingly smug considering the King was trying to make a fool out of him. Taking four eggs, seemingly from thin air, he began to throw them up in the air and catch them with perfect ease. Without even looking at what he was juggling, he locked eyes with Arthur with a smirk (who looked utterly befuddled) and sent a wink in Isabel's direction. Out of nowhere, he threw an egg behind him and caught it behind his back. He continued to juggle before catching them all and hiding them behind his back. When he showed his hands, they were empty.

Oh he was good. Merlin really was extraordinary. He knew very well that no one believed he was good for anything but that never phased him. If anything, it pushed him to achieve even more.

He bowed again and walked back to Arthur's speechless side as if he had done nothing. Showered in praise from the Queen and Knights, his grin stretched to twice its size. Isabel's smile almost reached the size of his. Her knight in shining armour was most probably alive.

By the end of the meal, Isabel felt like she had eaten more than she ever had before. All of the food that Queen Annis had to offer was of the highest quality. The two of them had chatted and joked through every course, and even when every knight was groaning about their full stomachs, the night did not end.

As soon as Annis called for music, the servants hurried forward to remove the tables. A group of musicians stood upon a small stage at the front of the room and began to play. The fiddles flowed with a jolly tune which the harpsichords and lutes picked up on. Their playful music flowed around the room, lightening everyone's faces.

Immediately, the knights began to roam the room, choosing Ladies of Annis's court to dance with. Isabel was perfectly content to sit with the Queen and her brother, but Sir Elyan was having none of it.

"Will you dance with me, my Lady?"

"Oh no, I couldn't," she smiled shyly, attempting to shake off his persistence, "I'm much too full."

"Don't be silly, Isabel; dance with him," Arthur grinned.

"I don't -"

"It will be good for you, Princess. A young girl needs to have some fun every now and then."

Isabel acted coy, "Alright then, Sir Elyan, I shall dance with you."

He bowed before taking her hand and leading her out onto the dance floor.

They jigged the entire night. They danced so much that Isabel was still humming as she rubbed her aching feet in the bedchamber beside Annis's. There was a knock at the door, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Enter!"

The door opened to reveal Merlin. Frowning in confusion, she permitted him to walk further into her room. He closed the door behind him.

"What's the problem, Merlin? Is something wrong with Arthur?"

"No, no, it's just…"

Something was clearly plaguing his mind and Isabel felt her heart leap out for him in sympathy. She found herself wanting to help him however she could, whatever he needed help with. She made space for him on the edge of her bed where he perched himself awkwardly. He was looking anywhere but at her.

"What's the matter?"

"When we were in that village…" She cringed at the memory, but nodded for him to continue, "A Druid seer was in one of the caves. He was still alive, but only just. He showed me two visions. One of them was about Arthur. He was killed in a battle." Dread settled in the pit of Isabel's stomach. She could not let that happen. And Merlin was not done yet. He hesitated before carrying on. "And the other was about you. You…" he took a deep breath, "You were married to his killer."

She couldn't help her automatic response. "What?" she snapped, feeling her entire body tense up, "What do you mean?"

He finally looked at her. His face was covered in worry and doubt. He was regretting telling her anything. Nevertheless, he swallowed and repeated what he had seen, "The same man who kills Arthur, woos you and marries you." There was more to the story but after her initial reaction, he was definitely not going to tell her that part.

"Gwaine would never kill Arthur."

"It wasn't Gwaine; it was -"

"Then I don't want to know," she snapped, jumping to her feet, "And quite frankly, Merlin, I don't know why you've told me this. If this is my – and Arthur's – future, there's nothing I can do to change it. Please leave, Merlin, I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense."

"But -"

"_Leave, _Merlin."

Regretfully, Merlin picked himself up and left the room, casting one last glance over his shoulder at the Princess. She was sat on the edge of the bed with her back to him, staring at the floor. He sighed and shut the door.

So he could not confide in the sweet, innocent Princess of Camelot. She was not going to allow him to warn her of what was to come. He had just hoped that maybe if she knew, she would be able to avoid it. He had not even been able to tell her who to avoid.

She had resigned herself to her own fate.

* * *

_**A/N: **__I hope you enjoyed this. What do you think of the character relationships so far? What do you think of the way Arthur and Isabel react to each other? Merlin and Isabel? Isabel, Leon and Elyan?_

_Please don't forget to review and if you really like the story, make an author's day and hit that follow/favourite button._

_Have a good day! Love from Beth xx_


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